IT HAS taken almost seven years to get there but the long-awaited day centre for the homeless is now just a couple of weeks away from its official opening.

St Bridget's Hall in Grosvenor Street, Chester, has been refurbished and converted to serve its new purpose.

It is conveniently situated next to Chester Aid to the Homeless (CATH) Roodee House hostel and across the road from the charity's night shelter Crispin House.

Manager of Roodee House, Bob Scholey, who has decades of experience in working with homeless people, is taking on the job of centre manager. He has worked with CATH for the past three years.

The new facility has been named The Harold Tomlins Day Centre after former city and county councillor the late Harold Tomlins, who took a keen interest in the plight of Chester's homeless, was chairman of CATH and a dedicated supporter of the charity since it was founded about 28 years ago.

The main purpose of a day centre is to provide a warm and safe place for homeless people who are forced to spend their days on the streets because they have nowhere else to go, including many not readily identifiable as homeless.

Apart from shelter it will provide food, toilets, washing facilities, clothing and bedding, somewhere to wash and iron clothes, a safe place to leave property, telephone and mailing address and skilled help from trained specialist staff, who will work with doctors, dentists and nurses to provide health care.

CATH manager Ken Archer said the day centre will be a tremendous asset, not only to homeless people but to the city as a whole, as it will help to get the homeless off the streets.

It will operate an open door policy, offering somewhere safe and non-judgmental, away from the streets. Separate provision has been made for drinkers. Surveys have shown many of those living rough admit to alcohol problems.

CATH has come a long way since a group of concerned individuals did a head count of rough sleepers almost 30 years ago and shocked the people of Chester with the results.

Mr Archer said this week's statutory head count, carried out by Chester City Council with the help of CATH, revealed just five people sleeping rough, compared with 26 two years ago. Mr Archer said: 'It shows the hard work and monetary help CATH has put in is paying dividends.'